Sebastian Marino
People @ Goddard
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Sebastian Marino is hereditary chief of Hatohobei State, a small island and a coral reef in the West Pacific Republic of Palau. He has been working with his community to develop a shared vision for the Helen Reef Conservation Area - the largest marine conservation area in Palau. His Goddard MA in Individualized Studies thesis examined the importance of indigenous conservation knowledge and described the process he used to build this community vision. The results of this project now serve as a road map for his community's work to protect the reef.
Watch Marino on Climate Change TV!
People @ Goddard
Interview with Sebastian Marino
Sebastian: When I began looking into graduate programs, I had a pretty clear idea about where I was headed professionally. As an indigenous leader, I knew that I wanted to find a way to validate the traditional knowledge that was shared by my elders. I also knew that I needed to pursue graduate studies in order to be recognized in my field. At Goddard I was able to design my own study program - which for me meant finding ways to validate what I knew while at the same time...